A Delayed Conversation
by Sherlockian89
Summary: Buffy and Giles try to convince Faith and Wesley that they should work together. AU Season 3 Rated: Teen Originally written in 2009 for my Livejournal. Please Read & Review!
1. A Late Night Visitor

Title: A Delayed Conversation.

Author: Sherlockian89

Fandom: BTVS

Parings: Buffy/Giles & Faith/Wesley

Disclaimer: Not mine. The characters used in this story belong to Joss Whedon, M.E. and Fox.

Summary: Buffy and Giles try to convince Faith and Wesley to trust each other.

Timeline Season 3 AU

Chapter 1: A Late Night Visitor

It was around 10 pm when Rupert Giles heard a knock on his door. Quietly he picked up a baseball bat from the umbrella stand and slowly he went to the door and peeked into the peep-hole. When he saw a blonde at the door Giles sighed. He quickly replaced the bat and opened the door.

"Hello, Buffy."

"Hi Giles." Bufffy replied as she entered the flat. "I'm sorry to bother you so late, but I really need to talk to you."

"Of course, Buffy. Please come in." Giles said, stepping aside to let her pass. "Would you like something to drink?" He asked.

"Water would be good. Thanks." Buffy replied. She sat down on the couch with a sigh. Giles went to the kitchen to get their drinks. While the Watcher was busy in the kitchen Buffy glanced at the biker magazines and wondered just where to begin.

"So what brings you here?" Giles asked as he sat down next to his slayer. He handed her a bottled water. "Thanks." Buffy took a sip, then sighed. "I'm worried about Faith, Giles. She's been through a lot and I'm not sure Wesley is ready to act as her Watcher."

"You're right," Giles agreed. "But I'm not sure that Faith should be left on her own right now." Hearing this made Buffy even more depressed. "So what do we do now?" She asked softly.

Giles pinched the bridge of his nose tiredly. "I suppose I could get in touch with the Watcher's Council. In the meantime I'll speak with Wesley in the morning." Buffy smiled.

"Thank you, Giles." The Watcher smiled back. "You're welcome Buffy. Now do you feel like training tomorrow or do you want to wait for Wesley?"

"Training with you sounds great." Buffy happily agreed. "I know that you won't have a heart attack while running a couple of laps." Giles grinned.

"That's true," He agreed. "I'll see you in the morining, Buffy."

"You sure will." The Slayer said with a smile. "Thanks for listening Giles."

"Anytime Buffy, but you already know that." Giles replied as he escorted the girl to the front door. He watched as she dashed across the street . When she had completely faded from view he closed the door and went to bed.


	2. A Restless Slayer Equails Jellies

Chapter 2: A Restless Slayer Equals Jellies

The next morning at 6:45 am Giles awoke to the sound of someone knocking on his door. This time he did not bother with the bat, but he still took a quick peek before opening the door. What he saw made him laugh.

"Good morning, Buffy. Do you need any help with those?" He asked his slayer as she entered the flat carrying several boxes of doughnuts.

"Yes, please." Buffy replied. Giles grabbed the top three boxes; leaving Buffy with only two. "Before you ask; the first two boxes are full of jellies, the rest is for the Gang." Giles just chuckled.

"Do you think we'll be able to eat all of these?" He glanced at the boxes on his coffee table. Buffy shrugged. "Maybe. If we don't I bet Xander will." She glanced at the clock on the wall. "I'll wait in the living room while you get dressed." She said grabbing a doughnut and a napkin before she sat down on his couch.

Giles blushed. He had forgotten that he was still in his pajamas. "Yes, if you will excuse me for a moment." Quickly he climbed up the stairs and straight into his bedroom. _Good show old man. You're lucky that Buffy didn't laugh at you the moment you opened the door._ The Watcher sighed as he grabbed his clothes that were folded on the chair beside his nightstand.

He took a very quick shower and within twenty minutes he was ready. "I am sorry to keep you waiting Buffy, I really didn't expect you to arrive as early as you did." Giles said as he descended the stairs.

"Yeah, I'm sorry about that Giles. I just couldn't sleep last night and as soon as the sun was up I was out the door." Buffy said as she gave her Watcher a steaming cup of tea.

"Here, have a doughnut and I made some tea. The rest is in the thermos." She glanced at the clock. "Come on, we got to go if we went to be at the library before school starts."

He quickly swallowed the scolding liquid, grabbed the three boxes of doughnuts and headed out the door. Buffy followed him with the otther two boxes. Giles locked his door and together the Slayer and Watcher got into Giles's car.


	3. Training and Deal Making

Chapter 3: Training and Deal Making

The parking lot of the Sunnydale High School was nearly deserted when Giles parked his Citron in the teachers' parking lot. The only other cars he saw were Principal Snyder's and the janitor's.

He quickly got out, opening the passenger door, saying: "We're here, Buffy." The slayer shook her head and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. "Already? Oh, wow. Sorry about that Giles, I guess I was more tired then I realized." Buffy said, sheepishly. She grabbed the first two boxes while Giles grabbed the other three. "Ready?" He asked.

She nodded and Giles opened the side door and took a quick look to make sure that Synder wasn't around. When he saw that the hallway was empty he sighed and motioned for Buffy to follow him.

Luckily it only took Giles and Buffy less then two minutes to reach the library. When Giles unlocked the door he said: "Why do we put these in my office? That way if someone comes in they won't ask to many questions. After that we could start training."

'All right,"Buffy readily agreed. While her watcher was hiding the doughnuts, the slayer went to the sink to splash some cold water on her face. "Ah, that's better." She sighed.

"Okay, Giles. How should we do this? Do you want to talk to Faith first or should we wait for Wesley and talk to them together?"

"I think we should wait for Wesley since he's more likely to arrive sooner then Faith anyway. In the meantime we should work on your aim with the crossbow." Giles replied. Buffy sighed and went to get the crossbow.

Almost an hour had past when Buffy heard the swinging doors open and a voice call out. "Hello? Is anyone here? Mr. Giles? Buffy?" Wesley asked anixously.

"Hi Wes." Buffy called out from the cage. "Giles is in his office. She told the younger Watcher. "I'll join you guys in a minute." She said as she finished putting the crossbow and bolts away.

"Ah. Good morning, Buffy," said Wesley. "I didn't expect to see you here so early. Is everything all right?"

"I'm okay. Giles and I need to talk to you and Faith about some stuff. He's waiting for you in his office." Before Wesley could say anything Buffy took his arm and ushered him into the librarian's office. She knocked on the door. A second later she heard Giles say: "Come in!"

Buffy opened the door and said: "Wes is here. I'll wait until Faith gets here then I'll join you."

Giles nodded. "Thank you, Buffy. Would you mind closing the door? Have a seat Wesley."

Wesley took a seat in front of Giles's desk, feeling very confused. "Mister Giles what is going on? I feel like I've been sent to the Headmaster's office."

Giles sighed. "i'm sorry that you feel that way. You see, the reason you are here so early is that Buffy is worried about Faith and you. She knows that Faith needs a proper Watcher and to be frank isn't so sure you could handle her."

Wesley was speechkess. With some effort, he managed to say; "I see. Do you share her view of me?" Giles smiled. "At first I have to admit, yes I did. But not now."

When he heard that, the young Watcher sighed with relief. Giles continued; "In fact, last night Buffy suggested that I become your mentor. What do you think? Do you like the idea?"

For the second time in less then ten minutes; Wesley found himself unable to speak. He tried to clear his throat a few times before he managed to ask for a glass of water. Giles poured a tall glass of water and watched as Wesley drank half of it in less then a minute. When he was finally able to compose himself, Wesley asked Giles. "Mr. Giles may I ask, what brought this on?"

"As I said earlier, Buffy was concerned about Faith snce she lost her Watcher. She feels that Faith could use more guidance but she was not sure that you could handle her. The girl is rather high strung." This was a mild understatement, but Giles felt that Wesley would discover what he meant soon enough.

"I see." Wesley replied. "What about Buffy? She needs a watcher as well." The younger man winced when he saw the glare the older man gave him. "I meant no disrespect, but I hardly think that the Council would reinstate you as her Watcher."

"I had hoped to get in touch with them earlier today, but they refuse to accept my calls." Giles sighed. "Bloody idiots."

"Perhaps I could help speed up the process," Wesley offered. "Who did you speak to?"

"A god-awful woman named Ryan." Giles snorted. "Thought she was the Queen of England, the way she carried on about how the Chairman could not be disturbed and you have any idea what time it was. Granted, I'd forgotten the six hour time difference but that didn't mean she had to bite my head off over it."

"Why don't I try to contact the Council say, sometime after luch?" Wesley suggested. Giles agreed. He was about to say something else when he heard a knock on the office door.

"Yes?" He called.

Buffy opened the door saying that Faith had arrived.

"Wonderful, thank you Buffy. Come in please." She came into the room, Faith followed somewhat slower.

"Hey, Giles, Wes. What's going on?" The other slayer asked.


	4. Convincing Faith

Chapter 4: Convincing Faith

"Okay, what's with the serious faces? Is there some new monster hitting the streets Giles?" Faith asked, when she saw how quiet the room had gotten. When no one answered her she shrugged and said: "If there's no new bad guy to fight, guess I'll catch you guys later." She started for the exit when Buffy spoke up. "Faith wait!"

"Yeah, B? What is it?"

Buffy sighed. "The real reason Giles and I asked for you to be here is because we wanted to talk to you and Wesley about some stuff. Namely having Wesley as your Watcher." She waited for Faith to say something, well anything actually. When the other slayer did speak; it surprised both Giles and Wesley just how soft her voice had gotten. They had strain to hear her.

"B. I can't. You know what happens with Watchers and me. T-They tend to not last long." Faith said softly. She glanced at the door wishing she could escape. Buffy went to Giles.

"Do you mind if I talk to her alone for a few minutes?" She asked him. He nodded. Quietly both watchers left the office, giving the two slayers some privacy. Buffy motioned for Faith to have a seat. "Thanls, but I'll stand."

"Faith, the things I'm gonna tell you will take some time. It might be best if you sat down." Buffy said tiredly. Now she knew how Giles felt when she was in her hyper mode.

"Come on, B. It can't be that bad. What is it about anyway?"

"My first Watcher, Merrick."

"Have you heard your Watcher or any of the others speak of him?" Buffy asked. Faith shrugged. "Not much, just whispers about how some crazy Watcher died at the hands of some vampire named Lothos."

Buffy sighed. When she first met Merrick she too, thought he was crazy. But she quickly realized how wrong she was. When she told Faith all of this, the other girl just shook her head in disbelief.

"Geez, B. I never realized it was that bad. I'm really sorry," said Faith. Buffy smiled.

"It's okay, Faith. The point of my story is this: Trust your Watcher,and they'll never let you down."


	5. Taking Chances

Chapter 5: Taking Chances

"And you think I'll be able to do that, trust Wesley? I don't know B". Faith said to the blonde slayer.

"I'm not going to tell you it will be easy. It wasn't for me, but Faith I think you guys might make a good team if you give him a chance." Buffy told her. "Do you mind if the guys come back now?"

Faith shrugged. "Go ahead." So Buffy went to tell Giles and Wesley that they could come in. When they re-entered the office Buffy noticed that the younger Watcher was sweating. She wondered what the two men were doing while she and Faith had been talking.

"Been busy?" She asked.

It was Giles who answered. "Yes, swords mostly. It seems that the Watchers Council has gone lax when it comes to weapons training." He snorted. Buffy bit her lip to keep from laughing.

She quickly changed the subject. "I told Faith about Merrick," she informed her Watcher.

"I'm not surprised," said Giles. "What did she say after you told her?"

"She said that that she never realized that I had it as bad as she did. She even apologized." Buffy said. "Who would have thought, huh?"

"Indeed." Giles agreed. "Do you feel like training?" He asked.

"Okay," Buffy replied. "How about using the quarter staffs this time? If you're not too sore that is."

"Bring it, Watcher-Man," said Buffy with a smirk.

While Buffy and Giles were busy with their weapons training Faith and Wesley sat in Giles' office neither one speaking until Faith said: "Okay, I'm not getting any younger here, Wesley. So here are the ground rules; one: I am not going to live with you. So if you were expecting to start living together, just put that idea out of your mind right now. I've lived with one Watcher once and I'm not sure I could do that again."

"But how am I..?" Wesley started to ask, but Faith raised her hand. "I'm getting to that," she told him, "just hold on a sec okay? Number two: If for some reason I get into something that I can't handle I'll call you. Any questions?"

"Well, may I make a few suggestions?" Wesley wondered. Faith nodded. "Sure." She said. "But I'm not changing my mind about the living arrangements." She warned him.

"Fair enough." The Watcher replied. "Here is what I suggest, that I help provide better living quarters." When Faith began to protest, Wesley held up his hand.

"I am not saying that we should live together, what I suggest is that I help you find an apartment."

"Um, tthat's great, but there's one small problem," said Faith.

"What's that exactly?" Wesley inquired. Faith sighed.

"Come on, Wes. Think about it, I'm sixteen. Wouldn't it seem a little strange that someone my age is living on her own?"

"Hmm... I see your point. Here's a thought: why don't I search for a two unit apartment? That way we could be neighbors and no one will bat an eye about the arrangement. What do you think?" asked Wesley.

"You've got a deal." Faith told him. They shook hands and Wesley went to male that call to the Council.

The End.


End file.
